Hi coachie
Much has to do how the facility/unit treats the travelers (good or bad) re: assignments. I was in Baltimore over the summer and I got stuck w/ the stepdown type patients or rotated into the stepdown unit a lot even when it wasn't my turn to float (all staff/travelers suppose to float in turn into stepdown from PICU). Some places actually treat you as one of their own and give assignments that you are able to handle (like here in Charleston). The floating deals more w/ pt acuity and census. Unless you state it in your contract, travelers are usually the first to float. They are usually floated into units within their scope of practice, ie for me PICU being main unit, I'd float to NICU, peds floor, ped. cardiac, etc. I think I answered all your questions. If I forgot anything let me know.